[Health] Do you smoke?

[KLJo]

Thank goodness I was such a whiner. My parents have both been non-smokers for the past 30 years now and I'll likely have them in my life for many years longer, cancer free, (hopefully) because of my constant bitching at them!

The truth is that you'll have them smoking-cancer-free because of math. The lung cancer rate amongst female smokers is something like 1:200. To put that in to perspective, your odds of dying from a motor vehicle crash are 1:112.

SERIOUSLY GUYS, STOP DRIVING! IT IS SOOO BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH.
:roll eyes:

Their time would've been better spent on manners. We are already outside and 50 yards from door. Anyone who tells you THAT exposure to 2nd hand smoke, or the bit that might waft in your balconey, is going to effect your health, is an absolute, no questions, hands-down, liar.

So it becomes a question of smell. Well, I HATE all perfumes and colognes. Seriously, I don't care how much they paid, or what celebrity loves that brand. To me, they smell like a 70's used car salesmen looks. Sleazy, cheap, and eye-wateringly, headache-inducingly gross.

I would never consider it appropriate to say that to someone in the real world. I live with my secret hatred and fight gagging everytime they're closed in the elevator or car with me without the luxury of sending them outside for their imposition. I don't know why non-smokers think they're any different.

Y'all need to realize that the average smoker, freezing outside, is much more considerate of your needs than you probably ever are to anyone else's. The real-life comments and insults reflect very poorly on you.

[shadowwalker]

I am not forced to drink someone else's whiskey when they drink beside me at the bar. I am not forced to snort someones coke when I'm with them at a party.

This makes my point better, actually. I point out the actual dangers and costs involved with someone else drinking or doing drugs - and you repeat your contention that only voluntary participation creates a danger. And yet the 'victims' in my examples have no more choice in the matter than a non-smoker. Probably less (esp considering the slap on the wrist most drunk drivers get).

[Sunny]

This makes my point better, actually. I point out the actual dangers and costs involved with someone else drinking or doing drugs - and you repeat your contention that only voluntary participation creates a danger. And yet the 'victims' in my examples have no more choice in the matter than a non-smoker. Probably less (esp considering the slap on the wrist most drunk drivers get).

I don't like drinking and driving either. I don't like any of those dangers that you talked about. Who would? Of course they are tragic. Just as it would be tragic for someone who doesn't smoke to suffer health implications from those that choose to smoke.

Smoking is the topic that was being discussed here and I voiced that I don't like to inhale secondhand smoke.

I hope people stop drinking and driving and killing the innocent. I hope people stop shooting innocent bystanders. I hope people stop molesting children. I hope old people stop being beaten in old age homes. There are so many bad things in the world, yes, but they weren't the subject of this thread. All of those other things are bad, but that doesn't mean that I like to breathe secondhand smoke, or should be tolerant of it because there are other worse things in the world that could get me killed.

Smoking is dangerous. Those that choose to do it and endanger their own health is fine. Go ahead. I just don't want to be involved and suffer consequences because I'm around their choice.

The truth is that you'll have them smoking-cancer-free because of math. The lung cancer rate amongst female smokers is something like 1:200. To put that in to perspective, your odds of dying from a motor vehicle crash are 1:112.

SERIOUSLY GUYS, STOP DRIVING! IT IS SOOO BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH.
:roll eyes:

Their time would've been better spent on manners. We are already outside and 50 yards from door. Anyone who tells you THAT exposure to 2nd hand smoke, or the bit that might waft in your balconey, is going to effect your health, is an absolute, no questions, hands-down, liar.

So it becomes a question of smell. Well, I HATE all perfumes and colognes. Seriously, I don't care how much they paid, or what celebrity loves that brand. To me, they smell like a 70's used car salesmen looks. Sleazy, cheap, and eye-wateringly, headache-inducingly gross.

I would never consider it appropriate to say that to someone in the real world. I live with my secret hatred and fight gagging everytime they're closed in the elevator or car with me without the luxury of sending them outside for their imposition. I don't know why non-smokers think they're any different.

Y'all need to realize that the average smoker, freezing outside, is much more considerate of your needs than you probably ever are to anyone else's. The real-life comments and insults reflect very poorly on you.

No amount of secondhand smoke is okay. I don't want those chemicals in my lungs at all. Whether it's coming straight from someones mouth into mine, or it's floating in through my living room window, secondhand smoke is secondhand smoke. It's harmful for me and my family.

I'm not going to tell someone who smokes to stop (unless it's a family member and I care about them). I'm not going to tell a co-worker that I don't like to smell it when they are smoking in their designated smoking area. I will voice my opinion on a forum about smoking and my views on it when asked in a thread.

I'm not a fan of perfume either. If there was a thread asking if I liked it, I'd say no to that too.

[KLJo]

Ugh, I actually considered posting to the "Things that annoy you" thread, that someone would respond to my post with the, "No second hand smoke is ok" tripe.

I'm hating myself so hard right now for missing out on that psychic opportunity!

Anyway, it's a dumb rebuttal. You breathe in pollution, car exhaust, carcinogenic new car smell, eat occassional junk or processed food, probably too much meat, have a champagne at a wedding--or whatever level you drink at.

And so on...x1,000,000

Being uppity about a second-long waft of smoke while you walk by under the pretense that it affects your health is simply not a valid argument. You dislike the smell.

[KLJo]

Also, and this is VERY important...why does my phone think, "balconey" is a word?

[Sunny]

Ugh, I actually considered posting to the "Things that annoy you" thread, that someone would respond to my post with the, "No second hand smoke is ok" tripe.

I'm hating myself so hard right now for missing out on that opportunity!

Anyway, it's a dumb rebuttal. You breathe in pollution, car exhaust, carcinogenic new car smell, eat occassional junk or processed food, probably too much meat, have a champagne at a wedding--or whatever level you drink at.

And so on...x1,000,000

Being uppity about a second-long waft of smoke while you walk by under the pretense that it affects your health is simply not a valid argument. You dislike the smell.

Just because I breathe in other carcinogens from things I can't control doesn't mean I should like breathing in cigarette smoke. I wish I didn't have to breathe in car exhaust, pollution or secondhand smoke.

If people around me are smoking, I'm forced to breathe it in too, whether I want to or not. I can't hold my breath that long!

If I'm being uppity because I don't want to breathe in secondhand smoke... then call me uppity.

[Kyle R]

For those interested:

The Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/health_effects/index.htm) and the American Lung Association (www.lung.org/stop-smoking/about-smoking/health-effects/secondhand-smoke.html) are very clear about the (apparently debatable) dangers of secondhand smoke.

[KLJo]

Just because I breathe in other carcinogens from things I can't control doesn't mean I should like breathing in cigarette smoke. I wish I didn't have to breathe in car exhaust, pollution or secondhand smoke.

If people around me are smoking, I'm forced to breathe it in too, whether I want to or not. I can't hold my breath that long!

If I'm being uppity because I don't want to breathe in secondhand smoke... then call me uppity.

For those interested:

The Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/health_effects/index.htm) and the American Lung Association (www.lung.org/stop-smoking/about-smoking/health-effects/secondhand-smoke.html) are very clear about the (apparently debatable) dangers of secondhand smoke.

:facepalm:

[shadowwalker]

I've probably mentioned this before, but I did a research paper on the research done on second-hand smoke. Talk about loading the deck! We're talking large numbers of cigarettes in small enclosed spaces - good god, might as well have checked it in a shower stall with 10 smokers going at it. Regardless, no one can tell me that merely walking past someone smoking in the open air is going to cause them health problems. Let's get real here, people. Unless you're living in a very new or retrofitted house, you're much more likely to get cancer from radon while sitting in your smoke-free living room than from walking past a smoker (or even a group of smokers).

[Pluralized]